Many existing photoautotrophic organisms (i.e., plants, algae, and photosynthetic bacteria) are poorly suited for industrial bioprocessing and have therefore not demonstrated commercial viability. Such organisms typically have slow doubling times (3-72 hrs) compared to industrialized heterotrophic organisms such as Escherichia coli (20 minutes), reflective of low total productivities. A need exists, therefore, for engineered photosynthetic microbes which produce increased yields of fatty acids and esters.